Draw sets up clash of West Asian Titans

The draw for the quarter-final of the 2012 AFC Cup set up a mouth-watering West Asian clash between two-time finalists Kuwait Sports Club and Al Wehdat of Jordan, who are participating in the last-eight of the tournament for the eighth time. Kuwait SC, runners-up last year and champions in 2009, will host the first-leg on September 18 before the action shifts to Amman with the second leg at the home of the three-time AFC Cup semi-finalists one week later. The winners of that quarter-final will play the team that emerges victorious from the intriguing clash between Saudi Arabia’s Al Ettifaq, one of two teams remaining in the tournament who have yet to taste defeat, and surprise package Arema Indonesia. The Malang-based ‘Crazy Lions’ who lost three times in the Group Stage before edging Navibank Saigon and Ayeyawady United on goal difference to set up a Round of 16 clash with Kitchee of Hong Kong, which they won 2-0. The other remaining undefeated team in the tournament Chonburi, who like the two-time Saudi champions have won five and drawn two of their matches will face an Al Shorta side looking to become the fifth Syrian club to contest the trophy following the inaugural AFC Cup final between Al Jaish and Al Wahda in 2004; Al Karamah’s runners-up finish in 2009 and Al Ittihad’s triumph a year later. The remaining quarter-final sees Kelantan, who will be looking to become the first Malaysian side to reach the final four after Perak, Kedah and Selangor all bowed out at the last-eight stage, take on Iraqis Arbil, who lost to Kuwait SC in the 2011 semi-finals. The first-leg of the AFC Cup quarter-finals will take place on September 18 with the return fixture on September 25 with the venues and kick-off times to be confirmed soon. AFC Cup 2012 – Knockout Stage Draw QF1: Kuwait Sports Club (KUW) v Al Wehdat (JOR) QF2: Arema Indonesia (IDN) v Al Ettifaq (KSA) QF3: Arbil (IRQ) v Kelantan (MAS) QF4: Chonburi (THA) v Al Shorta (SYR). (QNA)